It is in every part or faculty of the soule 1. It hath the understanding for its Throne and Pallace where it is cheifly resident and keepeth a compleate Court in the whole soule commonly called forum conscientiae and there as a Judge sits determining and prescribing absolving and condemning de jure 2. It s in the memory and there it acteth as Register or Recorder readily minding and recording witnessing and testifying de facto 3. It s in the will and affections and there Conscience carries it selfe like a Jaylour or Executioner rendring rewarding plaguing and punishing every one sine respectu without partiality The 4 th thing in the definition of conscience is determination Conscience determineth what is good what evill what is to be done what not to be done and so excites or diswades accordingly If conscience say this must be done then must we do it for conscience sake If conscience tells us it is evill Rom. 13.5 then must we forbeare for conscience sake i.e. out of an holy feare of God whereby our conscience may be preserved pure before him 5. The rule by which conscience acteth namely the light of Gods law I do not say by the light of the word Gospell or written Law but more largely by the light of Gods law I meane the law of Nature written in mans heart before the word was written or Gospell revealed For as man had a conscience from the beginning so he had light from the beginning to regulate conscience which was the law of Nature written in his heart Rom. 2.15 6. The last thing in the desinition of conscience is her acting or working upon the light received which is twofold either acquitting or condemning when by her light she determines what is done that it is good or evill she accordingly doth excuse or accuse Rom. 2.15 And thus have you conscience in generall defined and explained Having shewed you what conscience is and in whom namely in the reasonable Creature now in so much as every man hath reason I may safely conclude that every man hath conscience The point of Doctrine is clearly this Doct. There is in every man a power or faculty called Conscience 1. That there is in man a conscience let our Apostle cleare up this truth in himselfe how often doth he call and appeale unto conscience upon all occasions when he was convented before the Coūsell greiveous things charged upō him he appeals to conscience Men and Brethren I have lived saith he in all good Conscience before God untill this day Againe when Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite Paul on the mouth Act. 23.1.2 and Tertullus with all his Rhetoricke before Foelix besmeares him calling him a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition a maintainer of the sect of the Pharisees a polluter of the Temple and what not He hath no way to cast off all this filth but by flying unto conscience shewing his enimies how far and free he was from these base aspersions that it was his constant practice to keep a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 And that you may not think it to be Pauls peculiar but common to others with him we approve our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Ob. Though good men have a conscience yet wicked men have not A. It is an usuall saying indeed amongst men here when they meet with such as are very hard in their dealings or very vitious in living to say this man hath no Conscience But you must understand their meaning when they say he hath no conscience they meane no good conscience or no working conscience Be you therefore assured that there is a Conscience in every man and woman be they good or bad not only in Paul but also in Pilate not only in John but likewise in Judas John 8.9 Rom. 2.15 The accursed Jewes wicked Pharisees and Heathenish Idolaters will all acknowledge the being and working of Conscience in them To hold therefore that some men have no Conscience is both dishonourable to God and injurious to man 1. A dishonour to God as if he had given man not a perfect but imperfect soule defective in its principall power or faculty we confesse that the body of man being generated may be maimed wanting a part or member Gen. 2.7 as an eye an eare a hand or foot Anima infundendo creatur creando infunditur Tho Aqu. 2. d. 3. q. 1.4.1 because it comes mediately from man but as for the foule being created and infused by God this cannot be defective but compleat in all this powers and faculties and therefore a great dishonour to God to question his workmanship as men do if they deny man to have a conscience Anima humana non eseminis traduce propagatur sed immediatè à Deo creatur which is a speciall power or faculty in the soule 2. An injury to man 1. Deny man conscience you deny him reason and so confound him with a beast but grant him a conscience and you grant him reason and set him in his proper place as a Lord or master over beasts Ps 8.7 2. Againe deny him Conscience you deny him a Soule one of his Essentials and so confound his manhood which were a great injury to him We acknowledge sin hath brought us to a great losse but not to such a losse as to loose our being we have by Adams sin lost our innocency but not our essence our Excellency but not our existence our soule is defiled not annìhilated our powers depraved not destroyed man is man still hath body and soule partes members powers and faculties all good quoad bonum naturale all naught quoad bonum morale The truth then still stands cleare that there is in every man a power or faculty called Conscience 2. The Reasons why God hath planted this power of conscience in man are two 1. R. To shew his Justice that he will judge righteously God commands judges here on earth to execute righteous judgment Deut. 1.16 to proceed secundum allegata probata to do nothing but upon good evidence and witnesse Now shall not the Judge of all the world do right God hath therefore set this power in man that when God comes to judge him he may have sufficient evidence in himselfe his owne Conscience witnessing for him or against him before Gods Tribunall For God will not condemne without a witnesse 2. R. Is to shew his mercy unto man He knowes man is very fraile labilis memoriae apt to forget his God and to forget himselfe Sometimes he goes forth and forgets to pray unto God for protection and direction sometimes he returnes home and neglects his duty of praise to God for his preservation therefore God hath placed in him this power of conscience as a remembrancer unto him Againe sometimes mens Passions are very high as in Jonah Jonah 4.9 who is
conscience then consider the workings of conscience in others what makes Adam to run into the thicket sarah to stand behind the Tent door Jonah to lurke downe in the side of the ship Cain to feare a mortall blow from every man he meets 1 King 20 1 King 22 25. and Benhadad and Zedekiah to be a terror unto themselves and to run from chamber to chamber to hide themselves It was their conscience and nothing but conscience accusing and testifying unto God against them Againe consider how is it that when God is pleased to give out unto us a notable signe of is power and majesty as in thunder and lightning that the very sound of the one and the very sight of the other though these be but from Naturall causes should make a Barbarian a contemner of God to shake and tremble Againe whence is it that there is a Religions Adoration and propension to the worship of a Deity even in those Heathens themselves who sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God There being no nation under heaven that does not do divine worship to some thing or other and in it to God as they conceive So that they worship many of them but stocks and stones and some particular piece of nature as the Sun Moone or Stars knowing that there is somewhat to whom worship belongs Therefore according to the ordinary naturall light that is in all men there is a God Oh therefore blush and bewaile thy damnable Atheisme Consider well these things know and understand see and say verily there is a God that judgeth the earth thus far of conscience in generall Having spoken of the faculty namely conscience we now proceed unto the Qualitie namely a good conscience Had Paul onely said I have or I am assured I have a conscience he had said no more then a Reprobate or Devill might have said But in that he saith he hath a good conscience and that he is fully perswaded of the same in this he goes beyond all reprobates and Devils who neither have nor ever shall have such a bosome friend within them We must now distinguish conscience into two species namely good and evill 1. Honestè bona pacatè bona A good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good Conscience This good Conscience is sometimes quiet sometimes unquiet 2. Vitiosè mala molestè mala Bern Ames An evill Conscience Heb. 10.22 having our hearts sprinkled from an evill Conscience This is likewise peaceable or turbulent Now how these two do differ both in their peace and their trouble I shall hereafter shew you I am now to speak of the first namely a good conscience and more especially of Pauls good Conscience 1. What a good conscience is I answer 1. A good conscience is a Conscience rightly informed and principled by the word so that it can truly judge and determine evill to be evill and good to be good 2. By a good conscience I understand a conscience sanctified by the holy Spirit of God whereby we are incited to good and diswaded from evill and doth readily excuse us for doing well but accuse us for doing evill 3. By Pauls good conscience in the Text I understand a conscience both purified and pacifyed by the blood and spirit of Christ so that upon a true sight and sorrow for sin and a full perswasion of the remission of the same in and for Christ he enjoyed that peace which passeth all understanding Phil 4.7 2 Cor. 1.12 i. e. a true spirituall and incomprehensible rest and quietnesse of mind wrought by Gods spirit in his heart and so preserving him from terror anxiety and trouble But to draw unto some profitable point of Doctrine you heare Paul glorying in a good conscience not as his peculiar as if he only were the man thus blessed of God but doth acknowledge the like mercy to be shewed by God unto others and therefore mentioning those that laboured with him in the Gospell speaketh in the plurall number we are assured we have a good conscience So that we may safely conlude that as all men have a conscience so there are some that have a good conscience Some there are who have not only a Conscience but also a good Conscience Of this some I find Noah a just man and perfect in his generation Gen. 6.9 and one that walked with God i. e. sincerely in his profession of Religion without hypocrisy Moses the meekest on the earth Numb 12.3 one that despised the vaine and vanishing honour riches pleasures of the world choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Heb. 11.25 then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Job a none-such none like him on the earth Job 1. so perfect so upright that feared God and eschewed evill David a man after Gods owne heart Nathaniel a true Israelite indeed in whom is no guile i. e. a man of simple integrity 1 John Paul a continuall practitioner of a good Conscience making it his daiely practice to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God towards man Act. 24.16 Thus might I tire you out with a long Catalogue of blessed Saints who lived in all good conscience from their conversion unto their dissolution Act. 23.1 Q. How came these to have a good conscience seeing all by nature have their consciences defiled A. 1. They had the bloud of Christ applied unto their consciences whereby they were purged from the impurity of dead workes Heb. 9.14 it being the fountaine for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 in which poor loathsome leperous soules wash and are cleansed they were put into this poole of Bethesda and came out cleane being made white in the blood of the Lamb. 2. They had the righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto them whereby they were discharged from the debt of sin all hand-writings of accusations being cancel'd and they esteemed holy and unblameable in the sight of God Rom. 5.1 Not for any thing wrought in them and done by them but for Christs sake alone Not by imputing faith it selfe or any other Evangelicall obedience but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ as their righteousnesse received and rested on by faith 3. They by diligence in Christian watchfulnesse do maintaine their Covenant with God and if casually by any slip they seemed to break the peace they were carefull to renue their Covenant by true humiliation and reformation earnestly doing their first works and redeeming their former negligence with double diligence Rev. 2.5 2. Q. Whether a man may not have a good conscience yet the same to be very unquiet and much troubled Answ You must know that there is a 4 fold conscience 1. Good and quiet Purifyed and pacifyed which rests in a sweet feeling of the mercies of God in Christ Such a conscience had Paul that testifyed unto him that in simplicity and Godly sincerity he had his
conversation And Hezekiah when he was upon his death bed as he thought his conscience gave him a testimoniall that commended him to God better then all the men in the world could that he walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfect heart and did that which was right in his sight Is 38.3 This sweet peace of a good Conscience flowes from a certaine inexpressible assurance that we are the sons of God a certaine secret manifestatiō that God hath receiv'd us put away our sins 2. Neither good nor quiet When the heart is as full of sin as hell of darknesse and lies under a serious apprehension of Gods wrath and a certaine looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation to devoure Heb. 10.27 and is in a forlorn condition not knowing where to go for help but God is to him as the burning fire to the withered stubble and as the scorching flame to the melted wax Thus the cause stood with Judas who after he had committed that cursed fact of betraying his Master he was so gnawed by the worme conscience that nothing but an halter could ease him he hang'd himselfe And certainly had not Hell gaped for him he had got by the bargaine This made Cain go in continuall feare of killing and the persecuting Tyrant to cast up his bowels towards heaven and say vicisti Galilaee thou hast overcome O Galilean 3. Quiet but not good This is common to the best of men and they blesse themselves in it that they never had a bad word from conscience all their daies it doth not trouble nor terrify them certainly such a Conscience is seared with an hot iron and who ever is thus stigmatiz'd is marked for a Rebbell against God They sleep in their sins like Jonah in the storme though they are in greatest danger to be cast into the gulfe and sea of Gods everlasting wrath 4. Good but not quiet And such doubtlesse a child of God may have Examples are many as in Job chap. 6. 4. The Arrowes of the Lord are within me Rev. 2.3 the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of the Lord do set themselves in array against me So David thine arrowes stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Job 6.4 there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither any rest in my bones because of my sin Conscientia bona turbata Bern For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Thus Ezekiah and others But at such times though they have a good conscience yet do they faile in Assurance Ps 38.2 3 4. they have Paul's conscience but not Pauls confidence it is the latter not the former that makes it quiet and inoffensive and such was Pauls conscience not only good but quiet and inoffensive Christians have somtimes Cleare Sunshini dayes and sometimes darke cloudy daies sometimes they are under a cloud and the light of Gods countenance doth not shine on them sometimes they behold the face of God in righteousnesse and his favour is better to them then life Sometimes like Hannah they are in the bitternesse of their soules Conscientia honestè bona pacatè bona Ames and drinke of the bitter waters of Marah which makes them go mourning all their daies so then it may stand with a child of God to have a disquiet troubled Conscience 1. Use for Tryall whether we be of that some that have a good Conscience he that will not try wants it he that tries superficially hath cause to doubt it but he that is exact and sincere may safely conclude I am assured I have a good Conscience therefore search your selves as with Candles and Torches whether you can find this precious Jewell of a good conscience treasurd up within you yea or no. And the better to incite you to a true and diligent Triall take these 2 Motives 1. The neer resemblance between a Naturall and Spirituall Conscience Motives to a diligent Triall and that in divers respects They both have their conflicts both their loathing of sin they both seeme to turne a broad-side against sin and to complaine against it The Naturall conscience saith I see the better but I follow the worse The Spirituall conscience saith the good which I would do I do not but the evill which I would not do that do I. See here the difference in the latter there is a will striving against sin but in the former no will no striving at all 2. The Naturall conscience is principled only by some generall grounds of Nature acting and making conscience so far as his rules and principles will carry him and so deceiveth the Naturall man making him to boast of what he hath not namely a good conscience Whereas the spirituall Conscience rightly principled by Gods word and sanctified by his Spirit makes the person to have a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 making conscience of all that God commands or forbids Ps 119.6.101 Be therefore carefull in trying your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 And that you may not be deceived take these 5 markes 1. He that hath a good conscience Notes of a good Conscience can truly say that what he doth he doth it for Conscience sake Cōscience stirrs him up unto the duty and he cannot satisfy conscience if he neglect it He subjects himselfe to God and he subjects himselfe to man and this not for wrath but conscience See well therefore to this and the rather Rom. 13.5 because Many there are whose Actions are very specious and yet without any regard to conscience Salomon describing a good man saith he is one that feareth an oath he doth not say that he is one that sweareth not but one that feareth an oath possible it is that a man may not sweare and why because he hath been well educated or he standeth in awe of his Parents or Governours or feareth some mulct from the Magistrate this is no testimony of a good Conscience But if a man sweare not because he feareth an Oath this argueth that the man feareth the commandement and to feare the commandement is a sure note of a good conscience Prov. 13.13 The least haire makes the eye weep so the least sin makes the heart smite Now as in avoiding of sin so in practising piety a man reads the Scripture at home heareth the word preached in publick performes duties in his family But why doth he thus if to satisfy conscience in obedience unto God t is well but if base and sinister ends to please and satisfy his owne carnall desire this is base and far from a good Conscience We find the Shechemites grosse hypocrites in this they will joine with Gods people and doe as they doe be circumcised as they are had this been done out of conscience it would have rejoyced the hearts of all godly ones but here is no such thing they will be circumcised indeed but
not to please God but to please Hamor and Shechem their Rulers and to enrich themselves shall not their goods and their cattell be ours Ge. 34.23 Thus many now adaies amongst us will make some shew of religion performe holy duties both publikely and privately not out of conscience but out of carnall policy They have learned Matchiavels maxime to seem religious is a credit but to be neligious is a cumber It s only a forme without power a shew without substance They set not God before their eyes neither do they with Moses see him that is invisible they look only unto men and all their ayme is how they may please men and advantage themselves in earthly things Therefore if you will be sure your Conscience is good do what you do for Conscience sake not because man thinks it fit and you think it profitable or honourable but because God commands it 2. Note If you have a good conscience then will you suffer what you suffer for Conscience sake yea to satisfy Conscience This is praise worthy saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 2.19 1 Pet. 2.19 when a man for conscience towards God endures greife suffers wrong and as his precept so his practice had rather be punished for doing well then praised for doing evill See this in Daniel he will suffer hunger feed upon Pulse rather then defile his conscience Dan. 1.8 The three Children will chuse rather to have their bodies burned in schorching flames then to have them bowed to a base Idol And Paul had rather that Ananias should smite him then that his conscience should smite him Try thy selfe therefore by this Note doest thou suffer and doest thou so suffer as to satisfy conscience patiently bearing it because God will have it so as David in the railing of Shimei he curseth me because God hath said unto him curse David Not that God said so much by word but by a command of providence so ordering and disposing of Shimei his malice as to make it a rod to correct and chastise David for his sin 2 Sam. 16.20 but as a Scorpion to Shimei to sting him to death and destruction Thus did Job in all his troubles beare with them with wonderfull patience Job 1.21 he will not charge God foolishly but saith the Lord giveth the Lord taketh away praised be the name of the Lord. But alas how many now amongst us would be accounted men of a good conscience and yet will suffer nothing for conscience They will suffer no greife no paine no losse for it See this in Amaziah King of Judah he hires an Army of an 100000 men of valour out of Israel 2 Chr. 25.6 for an hundred Talents of silver but God dislikes his hired men and sends a Prophet unto Amaziah to dismisse them The King tells the Prophet what shall I do for the 100 Talents as if he should have said I have disbursed a great summe of monyes shall I now loose all You may see how loath he is to loose his money 100 Talents of silver a great summe But alas what is 100 Talents to a good conscience yet look abroad in the world and you may then descend from Talents to pounds from pounds to pence and from pence to farthings and find some yea a multitude that if a farthing and a good conscience stand in competition they will loose their Conscience to save their farthing Heare this you Tradesmen Typlers Retailers and all that have any commerce in buying and selling witnesse this truth with me how often have you and that upon the Lords day preferred your owne houses before Gods house your tâ—pling guests and prophane Customers before Gods ministers and servants chusing rather to gaine a Trisle at home then to gaine salvation abroad in attending on Gods holy ordinances Yea let me say yet more unto you how often hath your conscience blamed you for so doing and you whereas you should have hearkened unto conscience voice have stopt your eares and blamed conscience for too much strictnesse too much tendernesse what mean these words of yours If I should be so strict in my dealings as Preachers would have me to be I might soon pluck down my signe shut up my shop sit still and do nothing Let me tell such these words savour not of a good but an evill Conscience God puts none of his into such streights as that they cannot live except they live unholily unjustly Believe it as there is no calling be it never so high that must call thee from God so there is no calling be it never so low that must give thee a dispensation to dishonour God And as in the greatest calling men may live both fully and faithfully so in the meanest calling if men use diligence with conscience they may live honestly and yet comfortably Oh therefore my Beloved cast off such gaine as filthy lucre such customers as your great enimies and take up this holy resolution never to make hast for wealth nor to use any unlawfull meanes for this transitory Trash but say if I begg I begg if I starve I starve I will loose all rather then loose a good conscience 3. Note of a good Conscience is boldnesse for God and in Gods cause The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 Prov. 28.1 When the conscience is good the courage is great it will make a man to have a Lions heart and an Angels face such an heart had Paul when he looked on the Councell Act. 23.1 such a face had Stephen the Proto-Martyr Act. 23.21 15.6 Act. 6.15 All that sate in the Councell looking stedfastly on him saw his face as if it had been the face of an Angel This good conscience will make a mans face as a flint against such as rebell against God Ez. 3.8 9. Ezek. 3.8 9. Let but God call upon such Is 41.10 13.14 saying feare not worme Jacob for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God or let him stand by them Act. 23.11 as he did by Paul and bid him be of good cheer They presently take such courage unto them that having God for them they feare not who are against them Ps 3.6 David will not feare an hoast of men Athanasius a world of men and * Fox in the story of Martin Luther p. 849. Luther will not feare a multitude of Divels were they in number as many as there were Tiles upon the houses of Wormes But alas where are these valiant ones become we have many very couragious for themselves and in what makes for their owne interest but as for God and in his cause they are very Cowards They are bold for sin but bashfull for sanctity they can plead for Baal but not for God And yet such would be accounted men of a good conscience But let me tell such they do much deceive themselves as they have not Pauls courage so neither Pauls conscience and as
they are strangers to a good conscience so are they strangers to a most good God who will be so far from blessing them that he will surely curse them and give such timerous and fearfull persons which want the fire of zeale their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimestone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 Rev. 21.8 A Childlike heart can never be patient under Gods dishonour though he is alwaies silent under his displeasure Moses was coole in his owne cause but hot when Gods credit lay at stake When the children of Israel had wrought folly in the golden Calfe the zeale of God did so eat him up that he could as well containe fire in his bosome as be patient when Gods glory suffer'd Oh therefore try your selves upon this Note and before you find your selves more bold for God be not so bold as to boast of a good conscience 4. Note of a good Conscience is to love a Conscientious Teacher and Instructer he desires not to live under a cold man-pleasing ministry which preaches liberty not strictnesse of conscience which soweth pillowes under mens armeholes and cryeth peace peace so that none departeth from his evill way The good conscience desireth such a Preacher who is not shaken with feare nor seduced with flattery whose voice is the voice of a cryer his sound as the sound of a trumpet Vsai 58.1 his words like sharp nailes and piercing goads Eccl. 12.11 Heb. 4.12 his preaching an heart-pricking his dividing of his Text and matter the dividing asunder of soule and spirit of the joints and marrow Such we find amongst the Prophets that cryed aloud and did not spare to tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Judah of their sins Such were amongst the Apostles who were sons of Thunder and threatned judgments against the wicked and rebellious Yea Christ himselfe who had the tongue of the learned to speake the word in season to him that was weary Isai 54.4 was also as a polished shaft Isai 49.2 and his mouth as a sharp sword his eyes as a flame of fire and his comming into the Temple none was able to abide he was as a Refiners fire and Fullers soap Mal. 3.2 Isa 11.4 and with the breath of his lips he did slay the wicked Is 11.4 Such are the Teachers that a good conscience loveth and delights in But our age can no more endure this kind of preaching then the Israelites could endure the shrill sound of the Trumpet sounding louder and louder He. 12.19 and that terrible fire and that voice of words which they desired they might heare no more Christs Ministers now are become Antichristian say they their doctrine only legall though indeed they trace Christ and his Apostles and observe their method who first commanded Repentance to be preached Lu. 24.47 and then remission of sins to be promised and Paul drawes all his doctrine unto these 2 heads first repentance towards God the second faith in Jesus Christ Act. 20.21 Yet men are now become so tender that they will not have their Dalilahs toucht you may not come unto them as the good Samaritan with wine to search and cleanse but only with smooth oyle to heale and comfort it must be all the riches of Christ and a naked faith in Christ If you touch with Obedience you are legall and Phisitions of no value But let me tell such as follow such Doctors their cause is dangerous when the blind lead the blind Isa 9.16 you can easily conclude what will follow The leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are lead of them are destroied Wherefore would you be assured that your conscience is a good conscience do not with Ahab hate Micaiah nor with Ananias smite Paul do not vilify those whom God doth honour I meane zealous honest and consciencious ministers who labour in the word and doctrine and are examples to the flock in faith and love in spirit and purity if you do we are bold to challenge you for men of an evill conscience but on the other side if you honour them as men sent of God and highly esteeme them for their workes sake and readily obey their wholsome doctrine following them as they follow Christ you may then safely conclude we are assured we have a good conscience Last Note of good Conscience is universall Obedience This is an excellent distinguishing note between truth and error a good and an evill conscience God calls for this saying in all things that I have commanded you be circumspect Exod. 23.13 Caute estote 1. magna God will have conscience to be good to all persons Act. 24.16 and good in all things Heb. 13.18 and to be good at all times attentione servate vatabl It must be our exercise daily to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man He that hath a good conscience his heart is moulded into obedience his will is cast into Gods will He is ready to do what God commands and to leave undone what God forbids Like the slower that opens and shuts with the Sun So it opens to God and shuts to sin He desires to do Gods will on earth as the Angels do it in heaven readily sincerely constantly Let us now try our selves by this note and we shall find a good conscience to be very rare we may run with Jeremie to and fro to find such a man Jer. 5.1 we may goe into many families townes parishes perchance misse him at the last The prophane and vitious will not owne such good conscience and the Civill Justitia and formall Hyprocrite care not These two last have high conceits of themselves but yet upon tryall will be found too light First the civill man thinks well of himselfe because he is kind unto his neighbour defrauds no man but payes every man to a penny and as for the poor needy he is open handed ready to supply their wants at all times and therefore doubts not but his conscience is very good but let me tell thee thou civill man thou art much deceived if thy Conscience were good thou wouldest be holy to God as well as upright to man how is it that thou art so ignorant in the things of God and of thine own salvation that thou makest no conscience of prayer in thy Familie of reading the Word of hearing it preached unto thee no conscience of an Oath of a lie and of keeping the Sabbath day surelie if thy conscience be not good to God as well as to man it is void of goodnesse Secondly The formall Hypocrite is as high if not higher in his conceits of self worthinesse He is one that labours to know God and to serve him both publikely in the Congregation privately in his Familie hee is a professed onimie unto Ignorance and prophanes and prayseth God that he is not as other men and
so concludes that he hath a good conscience But I must tell thee thou Hyporite thou art as much deceived as the former Tit. 2.12 The Grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth thee to be righteous as well as holy If thy conscience be good how isit that thou art so deceitfull in bargaining so false in promising so unfaithfull in paying what is thy dishonest religion better then the civill mans irreligious honesty you both come short of a good conscience and if you thus persist will come short of heaven all true happinesse let me threfore advise you to beware of others harmes look upon Saul Jehu Hered and the high priests These in their owne eyes were very conscionable men 1 Sam. 14.34 Saul will not have the people to sin against the Lord in eating with the bloud Jehu will be Zealous for God in rooting out Ahabs posteritie Mark 6.26 Herod makes conscience of his Oath to Herodias the HIgh Priest will not put the price of bloud into the treasury See and behold a Messe of Notorious Hypocrites ahd these been syncere their consciences would have been good to all in all and alwaies If saul had truly made conscience of beast bloud he would not have been so prodigall of mans bloud as to destroy 85. of the Lords priests that wore the lynnen Ephod If Jehu had truly made conscience of pulling downe Ahabs Idols he would not have left Jeroboams Calues If Herod had truly made conscience of an Oath he would not so easilie have granted John Baptists head unto his Herodias If the High priest had trulie made conscienceof taking the price of bloud they would not have beene so readie to give a price for bloud as 30 peices to Iudas to betray his Master but as they sowed so they reaped They sowed sin and reaped shame and so shall all that answer Gods commands in parte but not in whole If therefore thou wilt beapproved of God approve thy selfe to God in an universall Obedience be good to all be good in all or not good at all and thus much of this first use namely the use of Triall 2. Use is for reproofe unto the ignorant and prophane who though they never tryed nor yet intend to try themselves by these fore-mentioned Notes or marks yet will boldly tell you they have a good Conscience But will you know upon what ground they build this bould Assertion Answer It is upon a very false ground and upon a very sandie foundation That is upon the stillnesse and quietnesse of their Conscience Though they sweare lye steale oppresse be drunke and act uncleanesse and all manner of villanie yet their conscience doth not molest or trouble them They do not check or say unto them what hast thou done Jer. 8.6 and therefore are ready to blesse themselves to be most happie and to condemne others whose consciences do trouble them to be most unhappy But let me tell such that Quietnesse or unquietnesse are no infallible cha\racters of a good or evill conscience possible it is that a quiet Conscience may carrie a man merrilie to Hell and on the other side an unquiet Conscience may carrie a man crying to Heaven The one may never dreame of Hell afore they fall into it The other never be assured of Heaven before they have the possession of it The old world were eating and drinking revelling and making merry when the floud came and swept them away Zimri and Cosbi in the very Act of uncleannesse were thrust through with a Iavelin and how many in these unhappy warrs have suddenlie perished and come to a fearfull end when they dreamed not of it Their drunken health being their last draught their blasphemeous Oaths their last words so that we may trulie say they went merrily to Hell Againe on the other side if men professing Christ may dye without assurance and yet be saved as Mr Chambers in Leicester who cryed out that he was damned Perkins Hildersham and Francis Spira who would change his Condition with Cain Sanl and Judas If such might be saved as some in Charity think then may we say and that safelie that some go crying unto heaven Wherefore my Advise to such is not to presume upon a still and quiet conscience but to see from whence this stilnesse quietnesse ariseth if from a true knowledg of Gods holinesse and their owne vilenesse if from a true sight and sence of thier sin and an unfained humiliation for the same with an Assurance of Gods free pardon in Christ then is their peace and quietnesse of the right kind such a Quietnesse as neither doth nor can accuse them but gives a Comfortable testimonie of their holy walking before God since their conversion Examples of such we find in Obadiah who told Elijah 1 Kin. 18.12 Heb. 11.5 Hujusmodi conscientia est instarferae alicujus quae quādin dormit videtur esse cicur neminē laedit Sed excitata in bominem involat dilacerat Sic conscientiacauteriata aegritudine aliâ graviore vel ctiam morte appropinquante excitaturà Deo truculenta suâ immanitate hominē terret Alst Thecl Casuum c. 2. that he feared the Lord from his youth and Enoch who before his translation had from God more then an ordinary Testimony that he pleased god so Paul I Have lived saith he in all good good Conscience before God untill this day these had good Consciences indeed such as speak peace with Gods allowance But if thy quietnesse or stilnesse which is in thee do arise out of an Ignorance of God and of thy selfe not knowing the mind and will of God and how Crosse their waies and workes have been unto the same Or if out of impenitency not regarding sin nor humbling thy selfe for sin Then let me tell thee thy conscience is not good but evill thy quiet conscience is a sleepie Conscience a dull and drowsie Conscience and if not timelie prevented will prove a dead a seared a caute rised conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 though for the presentit sleep like a churlish mastife and neither bite nor barke yet at last it will be awakened and fly in thy face and tare thee as the Divell did the man in which he entred Mark 9.22 He rent him and threw him into the fire Belshazer was drinking wine in Bowles But there came out Fingers on the wall and his countenance changed Dan. 5.5 When the eye of your conscience shall be opened and thou shalt see a dismall hand-writing against thee hell gaping and the just Judge preparing Vengeance for thee what prodigious horror will surprize thee hadst thou a world of worlds in thy possession thou wouldst count them of too small Value to purchase a freedome from these first fruits of Hell As a member that is Benumb'd with sleepe is senlelesse and seems to be voide of all life But yet when it gathers blood and awakens againe it Shoots and pricks and feeles as big
as Ten. So conscience may be past feeling Ephes 4 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remorselesse Stupid like a member that is benumm'd and hath no sense in it as the word signifies like a dead man that feeles not the heaviest Burden that is laid on him But when it is awakned Oh that Infinite unexpressable torments that will surround thy pretious soule At thy Right hand thy sins will be accusing thee At thy Left hand Infinite Devills expecting thee Vnder thee the fulnesse of hell burning Above thee an Angry Judg and within thee hty Conscience tormenting So that to live will be a torment to dye will be an Hell Yea God himselfe will rowse it up if not by his word as he did Ahabs Conscience or by his rod as he did Pharaohs yet by his terrible presence when thou shalt stand before his Tribunall then shalt thou call unto the mountaines to fall upon thee and the Hills to cover thee from the presence of the Lord Yea then shall thy conscience like a vulture gnaw upon thy heart and like a Scorpion sting thy very soule and that rigorouslie without Commsseration constantly without intermission and continually without cessation then shalt thou feele that worme that never dyeth and that fire that never goeth out Oh therefore do not content thy selfe which a false peace but labour for the peace which God approveth give no rest to thine eyes or slumber unto thine eye lids before thou hast gotten a good conscience namely A Conscience both purified and pacified by the bloud and spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 6.11 3. Use for Comfort to such as have tried and upon a truetryall have found themselves to be enriched with this precious Iewel namely a good conscience let such magnifie God say the Lord hath dealt most bountifullie with me praised be his great Name for his uuspeakable gift Elkanah could say to Hannah that he was better unto her then ten sonnes But thy good conscience may truly say to the that she is better then ten thousand sonnes then a world of earthlie freinds for under God and his Christ conscience is the friend of friends the truest sweetest constanst and most faithfull friend 1. The truest Friend which will deale most truly with thee earthly Frinds come short both in reproofes and comforts they doe what they do by halfe speak a little to thy face but more behind thy back and many times deale untruly with thee when thou doest good they will say thou doest evill and when thou doest evill They will say well done but thy good conscience will not do so will not daub with untempered morter nor call good evill nor evill good but will deal very plainly with thee accusing thee when thou doest ill and so excusing thee when thou doest well 2. The sweetest friend Phil. 4. that will make thee ever merry and alwaies rejoyce to laugh under the whip to sing in the stocks to joy even then when thy goods are spoyled yea in the sharpe tryalls to rejoyce that thou art accounted worthy to suffer for Christ and to Compleat thy Joy thy Conscience will feast thee nor once or twise but every day it will be a continuall feast unto thee 3. The constanst friend In time of distresse when carnall friends fayle thee this will abide with thee Art thou in disgrace which men hated traduced accused condemned do the Abjects mock thee the drunkards make songs upon thee do Beliaste charge thee with lies and Falsities doth Tertullus withall his Art render thee an odious and pestilent fellow Againe do thy own friends account thee an hypocrite as Iobs friends did him and the world value thee as the filth and of-scouring of all things Job 16.19 yet comfort thy selfe in this that thy testimony is on high and thy witnesse in heaven yea thy witnesse is on earth in thine owne conscience say with Job not with standing all their spite and lies against me I will hold fast my righteousnesse and will not let it go Job 27.6 my conscience shal not reproach me whilst I live 4. The faithfull'st friend that will help at a pinch and when thou art in greatest need Job tells us that he had friends but they were unfaithfull They deceived him as a brook deceiveth the wearie and thirstie Traveller he comes unto it in Summer to quench his thirst and then behold it is dried up againe he seeks unto it in the Winter season and then behold it is frozen so that he is still disappointed of his hope Thus deale my unfaithfull friends with me saith Job when I have most need of their help then they faile me Job 6.15 Solomon compares such to a broken Tooth Prov. 25.19 and a foot out of joynt which will surely deceive such as trust unto them for when they go to eate their tooth will hinder them or when to walke their foot will paine them and so to be of no use or profit unto them But a good Conscience is no such false friend no thou mayest trust unto it in the greatest pressures in times of disgrace poverty sicknesse death and judgment when all forsake thee then will thy conscience like a faithfull Jonathan stand by thee Ruth 1.17 Ruth's resolution to stick to Naomi in all changes was more then ordinary to tell her that nothing but death should part them But here behold a better freind death shall not part thee and thy Conscience she will be with thee in sicknesse and in health in life and death in judgment and before Gods Tribunall Therefore rejoice and let thy God be ever magnified 4. Use is to exhort all such as have not this Heartejewell of a good conscience to labour above all things for the enjoyment of it This is that unum necessarium though generally neglected Every man voluntarily of himselfe desires a good Wife good Children good Servants good Cloathes good houses yea all good but as for a good conscience which is worth all and without which all these outward blessings will be but so many curses unto us yet alas how carelesse are most in the getting of the one how earnest and laborious in the other Let me therefore advise you in the first place to labour for a good conscience so shall all these outward blessings be sweetned unto you Now that you may not be deceived in this rich commodity I will briefly shew you what it is A good conscience is a conscience both purified and pacisied What a good Conscience is mistake me not I deny not but that Conscience may be good if only purified but it cannot be well compleated except it be also pacified for without this latter there is many a sad soule so troubled that they will not beleive they have what indeed they have viz. a good Conscience They are so far from Pauls assurance of a good conscience that they rather beleive their consciences to be very evill and defiled Therefore strive to get them both namely a conscience truely
Cor. 5.18 yea as one saith it is Gods proclamation and our Charter of peace containing the largest concessions of peace It is Gods act of oblivion and his act of indemnity Scheffeeld on conse p. 42. 2. Meanes of pacifying conscience is faith As the conscience cannot speak peace with Gods allowance before it be purged so not peace after it is purged without faith This is a grace that will doe both i. e. purify and pacify 1. That faith will purify is cleer Act. 15.9 Faith purgeth the heart and cleanseth the conversation 2. That it will also pacify this appeares Rom. 5.1 Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Peace is the daughter of faith This is that Dove that brings an Olive branch of peace in its mouth aed presents God a pacified and reconciled father unto us O how sweet is that peace which faith breeds It is a Christians heaven upon earth A bunch of Grapes that growes on the true Vine joy in life peace at death prosperity in adversity staffe in affliction ankere in desperation therefore Christ calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anticipation of heaven 3. The third and last subservient meanes is Repentance The Apostle tells us our consciences must be purged from dead workes Heb. 9.14 and we must have repentance from dead workes We must still acknowledge that it is the bloud of Christ that must purge our consciences from dead workes and so worke peace yet know this that this peace is not wrought in our apprehension neither do we feele this faith without further act Therefore to our faith must be joined repentance though not making of our peace yet for the feeling of this peace Let us now then breifly enumerate the causes principle and lesse principle 1. Christs bloud procuring 2. Christs spirit producing 3. His word proclaiming 4. Faith assuming 5. Repentance declaring and evidencing All these in their order not in a way of coordination but in a way of subordination do effect the sweet peace of conscience which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 And is the sweetest companion that ever accompanied man in this vale of mortality Hitherto of the goodnesse of Conscience and how it becomes good namely by the bloud and spirit of Christ whereby it is both purified and pacified In the next place I must commend unto you these 3 things as specially to be minded and endeavoured by you 1. Having of Conscience 2. Holding of Conscience 3. Well using of Conscience 1. First let it be your speciall care to have this good conscience and that you may have it take these few directions 1. Be senseable of the want of it albeit naturally we are all destitute of this jewell yet very few complaine for want of it Some are pure in their owne eyes Prov. 30.12 yet were never purged from their filthinesse their consciences as defiled as ever Others openly profane and wicked that adde drunkennesse to thirst yet when a curse is pronounced against them they will blesse themselves saying we shall have peace I must say to such they are whole need not the Physician Thele are not as yet in a capacity of receiving this blessing Therefore I advise you first to see the filthinesse of your consciences how defiled with ignorance error and hardinesse and having seen it with the leper confesse it and say Master I am uncleane I am uncleane when thy disease is knowne the cure is halfe wrought Tit. 1.15 therefore I say by all meanes to see how thy soule and conscience is defiled 2. Seek out an able Physician that can cure thee thinke not to find him here on earth thou must go to heaven for him it is God that first made thy conscience and he alone it is that can remake it and therefore addresse thy selfe unto him humbly and faithfully acknowledging his power and in the lepers phrase expresse the desire of thy heart and say Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And to quicken thee in this I will say unto thee as the Disciples unto the blind man go he calleth thee Mark 10.49 1. Christs invitation Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you All ye that more and more feel the burden of sin and can find no way to remove it come you all to me and I will ease you of your burden of sin past Ps 32.1 and free you from servitude of it hereafter Sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 Therefore as blind Bartimeus when Christ called him forthwith cast off his garment rose up and went to Christ so thou who hast an evill conscience make no delay shake off all impediments and run to Christ the true Phisitian and he will heale thee of thy disease and give thee a pure and peaceable conscience There is water enough in Iordan there is balme enopugh in Gilead to poure into your wounds And there is a Phisitian there too and desires thee to come and will heale thee without money or moneyes worth T is but looking on this brazen serpent and be whole 2. Motive His promise is to cure thee he hath said he will give thee on heart put a new spirit into thee take away thy stony heart out of thy flesh Ezek. 11.18 19. and give thee an heart of flesh Now what is this lesse then to cure thy soule and conscience therefore thou mayest boldly go unto the Lord plead the covenant between God and thee tell him thou hast it to shew under his hand and so hold him to his promise Lord thou hast said thou wilt give me a new heart a new conscience therefore Lord create in me a new heart and renew a pure conscience within me let old things be done away and let all things become new 3. Direction is to observe what thy Phisitian shall advise thee his directions are plainly set downe in his large Phisick book namely the book of Scriptures there thou shalt find what thy disease is the nature and symptomes of it the meanes to cure it also what diet thou must keep in the time of thy disease to be freed from it and what diet afterwards to prevent a relapse Take heed therefore when thy great Phisitian hath advised thee what meanes to use to take off this leprousy from thy soule Doe not slight it as Naaman did Elisha's advice about the leprousy of his body when he advised him to wash in Jordan and be cured the text saith he was wroth 2 King 5.9.10 preferring his owne waters of Abanah and Pharpar rivers of Damascus as better then all the waters of Israel Take heed bee not wiser then thy Doctor credas medico ut valeas follow his directions and thou shalt be healed Eate and live wash and be cleane Thus far by way of preparative proceed we now unto the Physick it selfe in which we find many simples compounded as Naturals and Spirituals added 1. We
are to adde light to light i. e. the light of Scripture unto the light of Nature without knowledge the conscience cannot be good but as a blind man drinke poison as soon as wholsome liquor and stand as securely upon the brinke of a deep dungeon as upon a broad pavement and why because he seeth not the venome of the one nor yet the danger of the other Even so the blind conscience drinks iniquity as water and stands fearelesly upon the brinke of hell without any fear of falling into it and all because he seeth not the vilenesse of the one nor yet the mischeife of the other into which he runneth therefore adde I say unto the light of nature the light of scripture 2. Adde bloud to bloud i. e. the bloud of Christ to thy sin-bleeding soule this is that bloud which must cure thee and no other bloud can do it 1. Beasts bloud will nto heale thy conscience the bloud of buls and goats cannot purge away sin 2. Mans bloud will not as the bloud of Abel or the bloud of Martyrs 3. Thine owne bloud will not cure thee Saul having an evill conscience might thinke to ease him selfe by falling on his owne sword and shedding his owne bloud but alas this will not cure but kill Ther 's nothing can cure our sick polluted consciences but only bathing in the poole of Bethesda There is nothing can make us white but the bloud of the lamb It is Christs bloud only Zach. 13. this is that fountaine for sin and for uncleanesse this is the bloud that must cleanse thee from all sin 1 John 1.7 8. See therefore thou adde unto thy bleeding soule this precious blood 3. Adde spirit unto spirit i. e. unto thy spirit Gods spirit When Gods spirit comes into thy spirit it will not only regenerate thy spirit but witnesse with thy spirits that thou art healed and make thee with a joyfull voice to cry out Abba father Rom. 8.16 4. Adde faith to faith unto thy generall faith an applicative faith thou then wilt not only beleive that these former simples and ingredients thus compounded and as it were mixed will cure an evill conscience but will boldly say my evill conscience by these meanes is purged and quieted Where these principles and simples are thus compounded and happily joined together there is a perfect cure the evill conscience is become a good consceence the defiled conscience a purged conscience the troubled conscience a peaceable conscience thou art made whole therfore as our Saviour unto the Adulteresse when she had received merecy gave her this caveat to sin no more so say I to thee that hast a pure and peaceable conscience go sin no more but observe thy Physitians rules in keeping a good diet be holy to God upright to man sober in thy selfe if not thou wilt fall back into thine old disease so thy condition will be more desperate then ever Now for preservatives that conscience may keep its purity and peace 1. Abstaine from all appearances of evill Account no sin little but remember that a little leake may sinke a ship and one spark of fire may burne a city it was but a wanton glance at first in David when he looked on Bathsheba but if you mark it many sins and many sorrowes followed upon that glance of his so that which James speaketh is here most true behold how great a flame a little fire kindleth therefore abstame from the appearance of sin 2. Beware of intimacy with any ungodly person take heed whom thou makest thy companion the sweetest dispositions are soonest sowred by evill society wicked Ahab is no fit companion for godly Jehoshaphat nor Cerinthus the Heretick for John the Divine Take heed of such as are either erroneous in judgment or vitious in conversation wilt thou joine with those that are enimies unto God doest thou not know that one diseased sheep may infect an whole flock so on corrupt man may corrupt a multitude as we find in Alexander 2 Tim. 2.17 Hymeneus Philetus Phigellus Hermogines and others whose word did eat as doth a Canker which if not seasonably prevented will grow incurable The Originall word is gangrene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to eate as the disease called a wolfe or a canker doth which consumeth not only the part where it is but spreadeth farther in the flesh Such is the Nature of Hereticall doctrine if it be not stopt in the beginning cured by solid confutations and Ecclesiasticall censures upon those that are obstinate it will spread far and run over the whole body of the Church Beware of such a man that is an Heretick Tit. 3.10 11. after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe i. e. convinced in his owne conscience that he shuts his eyes against the light and resisteth and opposeth the known truth The like I say for prophane and vitious persons though they entice thee consent thou not and if they say come with us or be one of us oh come not into the way of sinners Prov. 1.10 nor enter into the counsell of the ungodly Prov. 3.34 lest thou sit in the seat of the scorner and at last become a scorne and a derision unto God and the godly 3. In doubtfull things take the surest and safest way All men have flesh and so consequently error in them Great differences arise in things practicall one holds recreations on the Lords day and another denies it This man for usury that man against it some say Faith and Troth are no Oathes others will tell thee that they are more then yea and nay The Multitude are for Cards Dice drinking of healths Math. 5.37 long haire in men and naked backs and breasts in women but the fewest and wisest are against all these Judge thou therefore which is the safest way to use all these or to refuse them heare what the Spirit tells thee abstaine from all appearance of evill have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them Doubtlesse it will be safer for thee to deny thy selfe in forbearing Eph. 5.11 then to take liberty in using them Give no offence to tender consciences but follow Paul who was so wary of giving offence to Gods people that even in things lawfull he would deny himselfe resolving to eate no flesh while the world standeth rather then to make his brother to offend i. e. to put a stumbling block before him 1 Cor. 8.13 or give an occasion of sin unto him Wherefore walke on sure ground and be warranted from God for what thou doest Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just pure lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue Phil. 4.8 if any praise thinke on these things 4. Take heed of false and phantasticall Teachers who boast of the spirit of
was in Paul to please God Me thinks I heare you say I would please God you say you would but tell me is it the very bent of your heart and your constant endeavour so to doe if not I must tell you your woulding is but a vaine wishing and nothing worth There is not the poorest person but he would be rich the veriest Bankrupt but he would be thrifty nor the vilest person but he will say he would be honest but will you beleive such because they say they would be such when you see the bent of their heart and course of life is contrary surely no neither may we beleive such to have a good conscience which have only a woulding without endeavouring 2. The second Character of a good conscience appeares in the extent of his will Paul doth not barely say that he is willing in this or that particular to please God or with Herod willing to doe many things but he is willing in all things i.e. in all duties divine humane of piety and charity This universall Obedience is an excellent distinguishing note between truth and error yea between a good and an evill conscience Cauti estote i.e. magnam attentionē servate 1. God requires it Exod. 23.13 saying unto his people In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect i.e. be carefull to observe withall attention Audacia est de bo no divini praecepti disputare nec qula bonum est auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praecepit Tertul de poenit Vatablus in H. C. whatsoever I shall command you There is reason enough in Gods will and his meer command requires absolute obedience 2. Christ shewes us a necessity of it and tells us that whosoever is unjust in the least is unjust also in much and James saith if he offend but in one point and allow himselfe in it he is guilty of all and he shall be the least in the kingdome of God i. e. be of no account in Gods Church here Luk. 16.10 Jam. 2.10 Mat. 5.19 nor have any part in heaven hereafter So that you see that it is not enough to be willing in something but we must be willing in all things 3. What is done for God must be done equally If you doe this dutie and neglect that duty they both being commanded by the same wise and holy God John 2.5 there is no equality in it neither is it accepted Therefore as Mary to the servants that waited on Christ said unto them whatsoever he commandeth see that you do it So say I to all that who so will have a sure character of a good conscience his obedience must be universall whatsoever he commands we must endeavour to do it Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit You must have an equall respect to all Gods commandements Ps 119.6 You must with David fulfill all his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall word is in the plurall number all his wills Use This then may serve to undeceive all halfe hearted Christians who comming into Gods Tabernacle here below doubt not but they shall ascend his holy mountaine hereafter and why because they are willing to heare many truths and willing to performe many duties I tell thee if thou be not willing to heare all and doe all thou wilt deceive thy selfe at last Look upon Herod Ananias and Saphira were they not Professors did they not heare much and doe much how was it then that they became such sad spectacles of Gods vengeance that the one was eaten up with wormes and the other smitten with sudden death I answer though they were willing in many things yet not in all things Act. 5.2 Herod will keep his Herodias and Ananias will keep back part of the price and by reserving a part lose all Oh take it to heart all civill men and hypocrites you both are but halfe Chistians you answer Gods voice but as the Eccho doth answer the voice of a man only in part not in whole but God will not be so answered he will have all or none Do not say with Naaman The Lord be mercifull unto me when I goe into the house of Rimmon The Lord be mercifull unto me if I sweare rashly commit Adultery oppresse my Brother or act this or that wicked nesse Know God will have no reservations he will not have thee swallow a Camell nor yet a gnat As he will have thee to tremble at wounds and bloud so will he have thee to feare faith and troth As to abhorre Adulterie so to hate Daliance As to loath the shedding of bloud so to shun the taking away of any part of thy Brothers livelihood One speaking of conscience tells us it is a Bo◠of precious oyntment that must not be corrupted with the least Fly Sam Ward Soe I say take heed of any thing that may offend God an conscience and let it be thy care with Zachariah and Elizabeth to walke in the commandements of God without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so shalt thou discover the goodnesse of thy conscience with Paul when thou art not only willing but willing in all things 3. Character of a good conscience is constancy in wel-doing Paul doth not say that he is willing to make a step or two in holinesse and then leave off no he is resolved to walke on to make it his constant practice yea to live alwaies in and with a good conscience A little child may go a step or two before he fall yea a very drunkard may seeme togoe steddy at first and yet if you observe him he will at last reele and tumble this is no argument of strength or streadinesse Even so if men shall do good duties for a fitt once or twice c. and give over and fall off this is no signe of a good conscience as there must be an universality in all things so a constancy alwaies as in Paul Act. 23.1 24.16 He lived in all good conscience unto the last he kept his conscience inoffensive alwaies he walked without tripping without stumbling ever the same in all actions and in all conditions Use Consider this you hypocrites and time-servers who are constant in nothing but in inconstancy now for God and then for Baal this day holy to morrow prophane to day you will make a step or two towards heaven to morrow as many more large strides to hell Will the hypocrite pray alwaies will he be obedient in all things surely noe he is a stranger to universall obedience a stranger to constant obedience and so a stranger to a good conscience Oh therefore as thou desirest a good conscience so desire of God a right way to walk in begge of him to teach thee his way i. e. such a course of life as might be pleasing unto him and to lead thee in a plaine path Ps 27.11 that thou mayest walk in it without tripping and stumbling This way of God in which thou
art to walke in it is the way of Gods statutes if therefore thou once get into this way take heed of going out of it let that resolution be in thee which was in David Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it unto the end Ps 119.33 Resolve to be constant without tripping or turning either to the right hand or to the left so shalt thou be assured that thy conscience is good 4. Character of a good conscience is sincerity the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Translators read it honestly the word is very comprehensive and containes within it as much as any or all other Adverbs in Scripture namely worthily decently accurately circumspectly lively famously and praiseworthy It notes unto us the lustre of an action and tells us that a good conscience stands not so much in verbs as in adverbs not so much in doing as in Welldoing if a Magistrate he rules diligently if a Minister he preacheth willingly if a hearer he heareth attentively if a supplicant he prayeth fervently yea whatsoever he does in the worship of his God he doth it faithfully Rom. 12.8 Phil. 2.20 Use Consider this you carnall men and women who content your selves with the bare doing of a duty without respect to the manner of doing If you eare the word read pray and practise some good duty of piety or charity you thinke you have done all and all well Oh remember that if it be not done honestly that is syncerely in obedience to God both for matter and manner and end your conscience is not good Let me therefore advise you in every duty that you do performe observe an honourable decorum I speake to Jew and Gentile bond and free male and female of what ranke and condition soever rest not satisfied in your doing of any duty except it be done honestly faithfully and praise-worthily 1. Magistrates be you in the highest place of Judicature or in the lowest place of office minde your Oathes your places your trust Jer. 48.10 doe not Gods work negligently least a woe befall you and Gods curse seize upon you but have respect unto your owne conscience and unto the consciences of others that your owne may be preserved and the consciences of others rectified 2. Ministers I must speak to you as the Colossians were to speak to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which you have received Gol. 4.17 that you fulfill it see you doe your whole worke in delivering the whole truth and in being an example in all holinesse unto your flock preach in season and out of season do the worke of an Evangelist so fully and honestly that you may appeare to be men allowed of God to preach the Gospell and that your preaching hath not been to please men but God which tryeth the heart 1 Thes 2.4 Thus shall you evidence a good conscience when you seek to satisfy your conscience in every duty of your calling 3. Governours of Families think it not enough that you have so many under your command and that you can say to this servant goe and he goeth and unto that servant come and he cometh see well unto it that your commands and countermands be all honest doe that which is just equall unto them Doe you first with Joshua serve God your selfe Josh 24. and then resolve that your Family shall doe the like If any be ignorant see with Abraham that you teach them If any be unteachable untractable see with David you exclude them let them not abide in your house so shall your houses be Bethels houses of God and your selves men of God and men of a good conscience 4. Private persons be you not Chams but Jonathans Be you carefull of your owne consciences then be carefull of the consciences of your Brethren hate not your brethren in your hearts but reprove them plainely suffer not sin to rest upon them Lev. 19 17. Yea thou must love thy neighbour as they selfe v. 18. there must be a conformity in quality though not a correspondence of equality thy love to thy brother and to thy selfe must be like in kind for sincerity without deceit and for efficacy without defect If thou do thus love thy neighbour as thy selfe 1 John 3.18 thou lovest thy God and thou lovest a good conscience 5. Lastly to every one of what sex or condition soever whether rich or poor let conscience be your Totum all that thou hast to do is to look well to conscience Art thou rich let conscience be thy bagg if poor let conscience by thy cruse if a wife let conscience be thy glasse if a wayd let conscience be thy attire whatsoever thou art submit to conscience let that command thee be ruled by it and it will not wrong thee be familiar with it and it will never deceive thee Thus you see what is to be done in the exercise of a good conscience 1. A willingnesse to please God 2. To please him in all things 3. To please him alwaies and 4. to do all this truly sincerely and honestly Thus to doe is the very life and soule of all practicall piety As thou lovest thy soule misse not one of these charecters they are so many golden linkes fastened by God himselfe that he that hath one of them hath all and if but one be wanting assure thy selfe the rest are missing Acknowledge a necessity of them all for as in a sound body there must be a due mixture and composition of all the 4 elements and Humors so in a sound conscience there must be a due composition of all these 4 characters 1. Use to such as have hold thus exercise a good conscience to proclaime Gods bounty that they with others may magnify God we read that the 4 Lepers in Samaria having found a sudden happy change from penury to plenty they blamed themselves for being silent and not divulging this great mercy 2 King 7.9 We doe not well say they this day is a day of good tydings and we hold our peace So shall I say unto you that have found this great and gracious change in your selves that your evill conscience is become a good conscience You shall not do well to be silent but with David it is your part and duty speedily to communicate unto others Come unto me all you that feare God and I will tell you what God hath done for my soule Ps 66.18 I say againe it s your duty and you are very faulty if you doe it not Acknowledge your misery by nature and likewise your happinesse by Grace say with all humility thankfulnesse I was by nature as vile as the worst as deeply guilty in Adams sin as any as fouly polluted with Originall sin as the veriest Reprobate and had in me the seed of all sin apt to be drawne unto the foulest and grossest transgressions and to run to the same excesse of riot
Chr. 25.16 and Amaziah the priest The first was reproved by the prophet of the Covenant for setting up of false Gods but the King tells the Prophet that he should hold his peace least he were smitten he was so tender he could not beare it The like temper we find in Amaziah the priest when Amos prophesied the rejection of Israel and the destruction of Jeroboams house by the sword presentlie Amaziah goes to incense the King against Amos and tells him that the land was not able to beare his words and bids him slee away and not to come againe unto Bethel for it was the Kings chappell Amos 7.10 a place that he had Consecrated to the worship of the Calves therefore not safe nor fitting for Amos to prophesie against him in that place 2. Some are naturally tender of such a soft and tender Temper that they readily yeeld unto any command of man though countermaunded by god Thus was it with Ephraim Hos 5.11 Ephraim is broken in Judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandement what Commandements the wicked commandements of their Idolatrous Kings and princes therefore the Lord Threatens them that he would be to Ephraim as a Moth to the house of Judah rottennesse i.e. He would consume them by little and little as a Moth doth a garment or as a worme doth a peice of Timber and surely this may be said to be our case our preferring mans mandates before Gods CoÌ„mands hath broken us of this land in peices and if God be unto us as he was to Ephraim a Moth and a worme gradually to ruine us it is but His Justice 3. Others there are which are scrupelously tender They will stick at strawes and leap over blocks make that a sin which God never made a sin and stirr most in that in which God is silent Thus the Priests scruple their going into the Praetorium the house of an Heathen man least they should be ceromoniallie defiled and soe held from the Passeover but yet made no matter of de filing themselves morally with the guilt of innoceÌ„t bloud againe they are troubled in putting the price of bloud into their holy Corbam but not troubled to give a price to shed innoceÌ„t bloud How carefull are they in washing of hands of cups pots and platters how carelesse in washing their hearts and insides from sin One saith well such as these they can dance amongst thornes and yet know not how to walke upon even ground Herod had too much of this rendernesse when he had passed his word given his oath to grant his wicked Herodias her unreasonable request which was to have John Baptist head in a charger Note the tendernesse of this man he may not breake his Oath and therefore concludes that to go back from his word would be perjurie but to go on though it were to shed the bloud of an innocent this he accounts pietie Many such we have amonst us who doe more scruple an egg then an Oath and like Esops dogg doe so greedily catch at shadowes that they loose the substance therefore I would such would be more wise following the Advice of Paul who in unnecessarie and vaine scruples will have us to asks no Question for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 Beware of all such evill and sinfull tendernesse as enimies to a good conscience and labour for such a tendernesse as is holy and faultlesse which will make you watchfull against every sin that may any waies molest or disquiet conscience thus far of an unholy tendernesse which cannot stand with a good conscience Now followes an holy tendernesse which suits well with conscience and keeps us and our consciences at peace Holy tendernesse is such a tendernesse as is wrought in us by the holy spirit of God Holy Tendernesse Sheff whereby we are made very watchfull against whatsoever may molest or disquet conscience Such a tendernesse we find in Joseph who when his Mistresse tempted him to lye with her he presently refused it and said unto her behold my Master wotteth not what is in the house with me Gen. 39.9 and he hath committed all to my hand and there is none greater in his house then I neither hath he kept any thing from me but thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinagainst God As if he should have said unto her your desire is very wicked and I may not yeild unto it I may not act the least sin against God how then may I commit so great a wickednesse as to defile my Masters bed is it not Adulterie a complicated sin that contains many evills within it In so doing 1. I should be a Theefe in stealing from him the best jewell in his house namely his wife 2. Most injurious in mixing a bastard brood with his legitimate children 3. I should be sacrilegious in taking my body which is the temple of the holy Ghost and to turne it to carnall pollution 4. I should be most ungracious toward my God and most ingratefull to my kind Master The like we find in Job a man very fearefull to offend conscience he was a Nonsuch by Gods owne testimony Job 1.8 not any one like him upon the earth soe perfect soe upright fearing God and eschewing evill He was one that resolved not to give conscience the least offence and that it should not reproach him all his dayes Though men did reproach him as Eliphas Bildad Zophar who charged him with hypos crisy yet his conscience which was more privy to his waies and could testify more truly Job 27.6 that should not reproach him so tender was he Such must be our tendernesse the like was that in Ioseph Job and others and that we may not be deceived know how it shewes it selfe to God to others and to our selves 1. To God he that hath an holy tendernesse in him will stand for God in what shall make for his truth honour and glory of his name if he see any thing unto which God is intitled or hath interest in such a one will not see his God wronged in the least degree but he will stand upon an hoof with Moses upon an iota or title with Christ he will manifest his tendernesse in all things As 1. to his precepts 2. Exod. 10.26 To his Threats 3. His Judgments 4. His Mercies Of these in their order Math. 5.18 and First of the first namely Gods precepts Cauti esto te Vatab. in h. l. 1. He that hath this holy tendernesse in him will readily yeild unto Gods precepts whatsoever he commands he will do it circumspectly conscientia bona non solúm attendit quid praecipiat Deus sed quid velit quae sit voluntas Dei bona beneplacens et perfect Bern. de virâ solitariâ ad fratres de monte Dâ—i p. 10 20. i. e. warily and with attention Exod. 23.13 Thus Moses is said to be faithfull in
but brings it to the touch 1 Thes 5.22 tries all things and so holds fast not what seems good but What is good lastly the render conscience will take heed of what he knowes to be lawfull he dares not to do all that he may doe least he should do what he ought not to doe Consider you that are Gamsters merry come panions fashion-mongers and all flesh-pleasers which are lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God I know you will stand upon your justification and plead strongly for your dicing drinking carding your long haire your fantasticall fashions and pot companions though there be enough recorded in Gods book against them in all of these Me thinks I heare you say there are many great Schollers will maintaine the lawfulnesse and that it is condemned only by a company of strict lacea Puritans and men of meane parts and learning Give me leave to speak the words of truth and sobernesse you say cards dice drinking and merry company are things lawfull 1 Cor. 6.12 but answer me 1. are they expedient 2. Doe they edify you 3. Are they not brought under the power of these things these practices Alas who sees not such as thus seek to please the flesh that they do displease God their merry company makes them to distast the society of Saints their dicing and drinking makes them to loath the hearing and reading of Gods word yea Bible and the pack of Cards are like the Arke and Dagon they will not stand together Let me therefore advise you not to be too presumptuous upon the lawfulnesse of these but consider expediency and edification that all be done soe that God may have glory and your selves may be edified more and more in Christ If you look not to this that which is lawfull in it selfe will be found unlawfull in you You will soon be brought under their power be captivated by what should be your servants Remember therefore what on saith and that most truly licitis perimus omnes the Whole world is undone by lawfull things i. e. lawfull things abused or misesteemed Was it not so with the old world when our Saviour speaketh of the destruction of the old world by water what doth our Saviour charge upon them as deserving this great and generall judgement he mentions only things that were both lawfull and necessary They did eate hey dranke they bought and sold they built and planted they married and were given in marriage See you any unlawfulnesse in any of these notwithstanding the giving themselves up to these things Luk. 17.27 suffering such practices to call them off from God God was highly displeased and themselves fearfully perished Oh therefore doe not presume upon the lawfulnesse of such things but if you have this holy tendernesse in thee examine all circumstances least God be offended and thy conscience so wounded as that thou canst find no peace within but in thy apprehension a very reprobate One word more by way of comfort unto you that are thus tender Use of Comfort possible it is that though you desire tendernesse and to hold a firme peace with conscience yet your conscience may frowne upon you and so you conclude against your selfe that God is angry with you according to that of the Apostle 1. Joh 3.21 If our heart condemne us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things i.e. if our conscience condemne us then God will condemne us much more but your Conscience you say doth condemne you and therefore your condition is very sad before God To give you satisfaction in this I must confesse it is most true that when conscience doth check accuse condemne upon right information there is no hope of avoiding the sentence of God by any close carriage by which we may thinke to shift and hide our selves and our actions from his eyes Yet this hinders not but that sometimes the conscience may condemne where God doth not For though it always judge for God and on his side yet it doth not alwaies judge with God and according to his direction but sometimes it may be that with Jobs friends it makes a lye or God and yet not purposely but through misinformation or prejudice while it lookes on the worst and not on the best that is to say on the present and particular indisposition of the heart and not on the sincere and generall disposition of it Such for want of better light in that particular may feare where no feare is but let me tell such they have a most gracious God that takes no notice of such failings but pardoneth and passeth by the transgressions of his people as if he saw is not Mic. 7.18 Therefore let such tender ones support their spirits upon that sweet and gracious promise of Christ Is 42.3 not to breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax i.e. God will not deale harshly with such weake and feeable ones but support and comfort them for though their light be little and burne dimlie yet the Lord will not extinguish it but snuffe it and make it burne more cleerly Consider when your Conscience doth accuse whether it proceed from sufficient light out of the word of God or from wrong information If from light received out of the word of God her sentence is divine and we are to regard it but if otherwise upon wrong information it is the error of conscience and our remedy is by sending conscience to seek the warrant of her sentence out of the word of God Againe if conscience present unto you sins which you committed many years agoe and whereof you have repented For we are to know that albeit after Repentance the Lord forgives the guiltinesse of sin yet he will have the memory thereof to remaine in that conserving faculty of Conscience called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may both serve to humble us for the evill we have done as also to preserve us from sin for the time to come Againe if conscience accuse us for sin committed and not repented it is Gods great mercy who by inward troubles wakens us to judge our selves here that we may not be condemned of the Lord hereafter Obiect Now if any prophane Belialist shall at last say what need all this adoe concerning a good conscience have not all men a good conscience Answ To such I answer in some sence they have a good conscience namely a conscience which is metaphysically and naturally good and so they may and yet go to hell But the conscience that brings with it a continuall feast and is accompanied with grace in this life and glory in the life to come It is more then metaphysically or naturally good It is spiritually and supernaturally good 1. A conscience purged and pacified by the bloud of Christ Heb. 9.14 2. A conscience habitually exercised to inoffensivenesse both to God and man Act. 24.16 3. A conscience that desires to be compleatly good in all things and alwaies Act. 23.1 4. A conscience that will approve it selfe good even in the sight of God Act. 23.1 1 Pet 3.21 5. A conscience that will give testimony of thy hearts simplicity and godly sincerity and sopport thee under greatest troubles and distresses 2 Cor. 1.8 9.10 11 12. Now if upon a serious search thou canst evidence such a conscience I must tell thee thou hast obteined great favour from the Lord and art enriched with so rich a Iewell that far surpasseth all the wealth of the world and can never be worne by the men of this world Rejoice therefore in the Lord alwaies and acquaint thy Christian friends with it that you may rejoice together yea eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God hath accepted thee Eccl. 9.7 The conclusion is this Conclusion Christians Conclusiour Consciences are all obscured corrupted and depraved through Adams fall It is the part of every one to labour to reduce conscience to its prime purity againe When a Compasse is out of frame we touch the needle of the Compasse with a Loadstone that the stone may draw it right to the Pole againe So let our minds be touched with the Loadstone of the Spirit of grace that they may come back to the Lord as to the Pole and quiet themselves in Christ as their true sole and perfect Saviour Let this be your daiely prayer unto God and constant endeavour who only can sanctify us throughout in spirit soule and body who can make every part and member of our bodies with every power and faculty of our soules weapons of Righteousnesse to doe him service Now unto him that is able to make you to stand upright before him and to keep you from falling Jud. 24.25 and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only Wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen April 5th 1656. FINIS
that her name is become unsavory the very mentioning of Conscience is nauseated by every prophane Belialist It 's high time therefore to crave the help of an Angel yea the Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ the Saviour to roll away the stone and to raise up our dead friend Conscience as sometimes he raised up his dead friend Lazarus This worke of raising the dead is proper unto God onely yet may an omnipotent God use impotent man in such a worke as Elisha in raising the Shunamites dead son to life 2 King 4.34 Act. 9.9 Act. 40. Paul in restoring Eutychus and Peter in reviving Tabitha aliàs Dorcas Now he that imployed men then in raising dead bodies can and will imploy men still in raising dead soules dead consciences who knoweth what God may do if we do our parts if the Hebrews pray Paul preach and God come in with a blessing on both what shall hinder but that the dead conscience should be revived the drowsie awakened the weake confirmed the troubled quieted the good bettered and every elect soule returne to his rest with some measure of Pauls considence and say I trust I have a good Conscience willing in all things to live honestly The occasion of Pauls pleading a good Conscience I find to be thus Occasion there were certaine ill-affected persons among the Hebrewes who calumniated Pauls doctrine Theophilact in h. l. as tending to the subversion of Moses law so that many who had formerly given their Names to Christ began now to draw back from Paul as a Seducer and false Teacher and so their Affections alienated from him He therefore to cleare himselfe from such false aspersions and calumniations and to confirme and establish the Hebrewes in the truth gives them to understand that he had not dealt fallaciously but faithfully with them in what he had taught them and therefore adviseth them to continue constant in their obedience unto their Teachers and in servent prayer unto God for them For saith he we are assured we have a good Conscience willing in all things to live honestly You may terme this Text Pauls Triumph or his choice Jewel with which the whole world compared and weighed in the Ballance will be found as light as drosse and vanity and without this all things are but losse dung and vexation of spirit 1. Analysis Pauls Conscience 2. Pauls Considence In the first note the quality it is a good Conscience In the second the propriety it is his owne good Conscience I have a good conscience In the second viz. his confidence you have 1. his Assurance we trust 2. the grounds of it built on foure firme pillars 1. His will desiring 2. The Extent in all things 3. The Constancy of his will to walke or live 4. The Syncerity of it namely honesty First of conscience in generall it would be very tedious to shew you the opinions of men upon the definition of conscience all varying in terme Habitus multis dispositionibus acquisitus Habitus intellectualis quâ talis officium est unicum inclinare ad promptè agendum Conscientia verò multas habet operationes quas immedtatè exercet ergo non Habitus Ames de Conscien and some in truth Much adoe there is amongst Divines to find out the Genus or generall terme of it as also the difference Some calling it an act some an habit some a faculty some a power As for the two former they are liable to just exception that call it an act or habit 1. It cannot properly be called an act because conscience many times doth not act as in sleepy men and seared consciences 2. It cannot be properly termed an habit because conscience is innate not acquired The two latter a faculty or power are generally imbraced but especially the last Some leave out faculty because the Scripture hath not yet determined it to be a distinct faculty but calling it sometimes the spirit of a man and sometimes the spirit of the mind of man therefore to avoid all exception I shall pitch upō the last terme namely power as the true genus and so define it Conscience is an inbred light in the mind of man teaching him to follow what is good and to eschew that which is evill and it is called conscientia quasi concludens scientia and it hath a two-fold Act the first is to give Testimony to things whether we have done well or ill if we have done them well then it giveth testimony for us Rom. 9.1 My Conscience also bearing me witnesse and if we have done evill then it testifieth against us Therefore Nazianzen used to call the Conscience Pedagogū animae for as a Pedagogue waiteth upon a Child and commendeth him when he doth well and on the contrary whippeth him when he doth evill so the conscience when a man sinneth it stingeth him like Hornets Deut. 7.20 But when he doth well it alloweth him bids him go on maugre all opposition and to rejoice and sing though in a prison with Peter or in stocks with Paul vid. Weemse divine exercitations But to define it more plainly and fully Conscience is a Relative power in the reasonable Creature Definition which upon determination through the light of Gods law doth either excuse or accuse 1. A power because of the many operations and workings which it dayly exerciseth in us 2. It s a Relative power not absolute Conscientia i.e. scientia cum alia scientia 1. Cum Deo scire 2. Cum seipso scire 3. Cum aliis scire 4. Cum rebus ipsis conscire because what Conscience doth it doth it in Relation to another and therefore called conscience because it knoweth with another with one that is of familiarity with it and witnesseth the truth with it and this is God alone who only knoweth the heart and trieth the reines Hence it is that Paul calleth the spirit of God to second his conscience I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost where you may see 3 witnesses produced by the Apostle and all of them without exception namely Christ the holy Ghost and Conscience which is mille testes a thousand witnesses 3. The subject in which conscience is seated it is in the reasonable Creature I doe not say it is in the Creatour for God being holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe needeth not Conscience to order governe and direct him Neither do I say it is in the unreasonable creature because Beasts and Fowles wanting reason must needs want conscience but this I affirme conscience is in the reasonable creature only whether they be men or Angels good or evill Saints or sinners blessed Angels or collapsed Divels this power of Conscience is in them all Q. In what part of man is this power seated A. Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte I will say of conscience in the soule as Philosophers of the soule in the body
parified and truly pacified Meanes Now followes the meanes both to purify and pacify conscience 1. For the purifying of conscience it is the part of every one professing Christ to consider that his conscience naturally is defiled Tit. 1.15 and that there is a necessity of taking off this defilement if we would be saved namely the ignorance error and hardnesse of conscience wherewith it is polluted The principall meanes are two 1. The first means to effect it Principall meanes is the bloud of Christ by this bloud we must have our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience Heb. 10.22 9.14 This is a singular way to have our Consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God 2. Meanes is the Spirit of Christ This is that mundifying water mentioned Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleant from all your filthinesse These two Christs bloud and Christs spirit will cleanse the foulest sinner and the most defiledst conscience Paul writing unto the Corinthians tells them what filthy creatures they were 1 Cor. 6.9.10 namely Fornicators Idolaters effeminate abusers of themselves with mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Railers Extortioners and then shewed them by what meanes they were cured and cleansed namely by the blood and spirit of Christ v. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God This is the refiners fire and fullers sope Mal. 3.2 this is that hysope which will make us as white as snow yea more white then snow Ps 51.7 Other meanes there are which though not comparable to the first yet as subservient are likewise requisite to this purifying of Conscience namely the Word Faith Repentance Lesse principal meanes 1. The Word Now are ye cleane saith Christ through the word that I have spoken unto you John 15.3 That is to say the word accompanied with the power of my Spirit 2. So Faith is of a cleansing nature it will purge the heart and cleanse the conversation Act. 15.9 3. And as for repentance we find that when Judah had defiled her selfe with sin God calls her to repentance as a way of cleansing Wash ye make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill learne to do well and then though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Is 1.16 Thus you see how a defiled conscience may be purified 2. Next followes how conscience may be pacified Consider first of all what it is that troubles conscience Meanes It must be one of these three either sin or Sathan or Gods anger It was sin that so troubled Paul the law in his members that warred against the law of his mind that so disquieted him that it made him to cry out Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me 2. It was Sathan that winnowed Peter and withstood Jehoshus 3. Gods anger that so molested David as to make him cry out Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger Therefore unto such as are troubled with the sight of their sin the assaults of Sathan or sence of Gods displeasure if their consciences be unquiet because of these either one or all be carefull in the use of such meanes as God hath ordained for pacifying conscience Now that I may not be tedious remember what were the meanes to purifie conscience and thou shalt find the very same meanes will pacify conscience I told thee before that the bloud of Christ and the Spirit of Christ as principall 2. The word faith and repentance as lesse principall These would make a defiled conscience to become pure So now I must tell thee againe to make thy conscience quiet thou must have 1. The bloud of Christ Paul tels us that Christ by the bloud of his Crosse Col. 2.20 i. e. by his bloudy oblation made upon the crosse hath made peace and reconciled all things Now rightly to understand this Text you must know that by sin heaven and earth were set at variance and the creatures in them but by Christ there is unity set not only betwixt God and man but also betwixt men and the Angels that are in heaven as also the creatures that are upon the earth now if Christs bloud be such a Catholicon to take off all enmity beween God and man between men and Angels in heaven men and creatures on earth and to make peace then let us acknowledge it an excellent means to pacify conscience This was typified in the bloud of the Pascall lamb where this bloud was sprinkled upon any door-post there was peace and security against the destroyer So where the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the soule their conscience is at peace and hath security against all the remaining guilt and corruption of sin the rage of Sathan danger of Gods displeasure This bloud givves the soule all boldnesse to enter in into the holiest of all by a new and living way Heb. 10.19 and gives us assurance before God 2. Meanes to pacify conscience is the spirit of Christ As his bloud is the procuring cause so his spirit the producing cause For this cause Christ and the holy Ghost are called by one and the same name because their end and businesse is the same namely to procure peace to the soule They both are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Advocates Christ is our Advocate and and the spirit is Gods Advocate Christ is our Advocate to the father to procure us peace The spirit againe is Gods advocate to us to produce peace As the one prevailes with God for granting peace so the other prevailes with us to entertaine peace See this cleared in 1 Joh 2.1 If any man sin we have a Paraclete with the father Jesus Christ the righteous Here Christ is our advocate againe Joh. 14.16 I will pray the father and he shall give you another Paraclete In this place the holy Ghost is Gods advocate so you plainly see how the bloud and spirit of Christ must make up this true and full peace Now for the causes or meanes lesse principall and subservient as the word faith repentance First the word it is a word of reconciliation and pacification Thus Peter to Cornelius and his company tells them ye know saith he the word which God hath sent to the children of Israel Act. 10.36 preaching peace by Jesus Christ which is Lord of all Now as the Scripture in generall may be said to be a word of peace so more especially the Gospell This is called the word of peace The Author of it the Prince of peace The minister the Messenger of peace Rom. 10.15 and his preaching the gospell the ministry of reconcitiation 2